Push-to-talk comes to BlackBerries

Stuart Corner
Friday, 05 January 2007 02:15

Your IT - Mobility

Push to talk over cellular (PoC) will be available on Research in Motion's BlackBerry handhelds under an agreement with PoC technology developer Kodiak Networks.

Kodiak Networks has signed a global licensing agreement with Research In Motion to feature a series of integrated mobile applications including PoC on BlackBerry handsets.

The licensing agreement allows RIM to integrate a Java version of the Kodiak handset client with BlackBerry handsets and enables joint development and marketing efforts. This functionality will be immediately available on BlackBerry Pearl handsets operating on Cingular Wireless' network in the USA.

Kodiak claims that its Real-Time Exchange (RTX) system enables carriers to deliver premium, integrated wireless voice services to their customers "with the industry's best overall performance, fastest speed and lowest latency."

Most PoC systems deployed by cellular operators and supplied by the major vendors such as Nokia and Ericsson are based on the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA) specification which uses packet data to send the PoC voice. High latency has been a frequent criticism of these systems. In contrast, Kodiak's proprietary technology carries voice in the usual circuit-switched manner.

According to Kodiak its technology offers several voice features not available with other PTT systems:
- Availability: instantly displays the current availability/status of friends, family, and business colleagues to receive a wireless call;
- Call Me Alert: the ability to alert others that a user needs to talk and allows them to call back directly from the PTT button;
- Call Waiting : allows users to easily accept voice calls and other PTT calls during an existing PTT session;
- Convert to Cellular: enables BlackBerry Pearl customers to convert an individual or group PTT call instantly to a standard cellular call or instant mobile conference call at the touch of a button;
- Voice Messaging: easily records and concurrently distributes voice messages to an individual or multiple voicemail boxes without ringing the called parties' telephones. Does not require the caller to remember telephone or PIN numbers;
- Contact List Privacy: permission-based contact management. Users authorise which contact and group lists they join.